The South Pier

Lowestoft's South Pier is one of those Victorian structures that's managed to survive when so many others have crumbled into the sea. Built in 1846, it juts out into the North Sea with that particular defiance you only see in proper old seaside piers - all ironwork and peeling paint and the smell of salt and chip grease.

You walk the full length and you've got views across the water that stretch for miles on a clear day. The pier itself is modest compared to the grand affairs down the coast, but that's rather the point. There's no arcade silliness here, no neon frantically trying to distract you from the actual view. Just the sea, the walk, and occasionally some fishermen making better use of the structure than most visitors.

It's the sort of place that rewards wandering rather than rushing. Allow 30-45 minutes if you're walking out and back without loitering, longer if you sit on a bench and actually look at things. Free to access, which counts for something when money's tight. Families will find it a decent break from the holiday park routine, though small children might get restless after 20 minutes - there's not much to actually do, just to observe.

Stay at Pakefield Holiday Park or Azure Seas Holiday Village and you're within spitting distance. It's the kind of pier that works best on a blustery day when the light's proper moody, not on a scorching August afternoon when you'd rather be on the beach itself.